Genetic Linkage Studies of Stuttering

Launched by NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS (NIDCD) · Nov 3, 1999

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

A primary goal of this study is to ascertain regions of the human genome which show genetic linkage to stuttering. Genetic linkage will be determined by first obtaining genomic DNA from both affected and unaffected adults and children from families containing pairs of individuals who stutter as adults. Individuals who stutter from genetically isolated populations will also be sampled. Phenotype will be assigned by a speech-language pathologist, and DNA samples will be obtained from affected and unaffected family members from 2 cc. of saliva or from 20 cc. of blood. These DNA samples will th...

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• * INCLUSION CRITERIA:
• • Individuals age 8 and older.
• • Individuals age 6-8 with a family history of persistent stuttering
• • Have stuttering that persists for a period of 6 months or more or are a family member of that person
• • For the Phase 2 imaging studies, we will be enrolling up to 25 healthy volunteers to be controls
• EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
• • Stuttering only as a young child (before age 5) with no other family members who stutter
• • Inability to provide informed consent or have a parent/guardian to provide consent
• • Development of stuttering following trauma to the central nervous system.
• • Chronic medical conditions that prevent informed consent or clear evaluation of stuttering, including stroke, dementia, and degenerative neurological disease.
• • Inability to travel to the NIH Clinical Center for Phase 2